Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation

expenditure has been found to increase and function to decrease with more proximal amputation levels [ 21 , 22 ] . Therefore, achievement of a minimum %VO 2max value or workload which would predict prosthetic ambulatory suc- cess of a subject with a proximal level of amputation would also indicate the likelihood of prosthetic ambula- tory success in subjects with more distal amputation levels. The second statement regarding SLE testing is the ability to sustain an exercise intensity ≥ 60%VO 2max by an older individual with unilateral hip disarticulation in- dicating anticipated ability to ambulate successfully with a prosthesis into the community ambulation level. A point of emphasis for both these statements regarding SLE is that the criteria for classification of successful ambulation was set at 100 m. This value is consistent with the work of Gailey et al. who correlated distance walked in the 6-min walk test to MFCL groups in their validation of the amputee mobility predictor [ 23 ] . This distance falls between the K0 – 1 group and K2 group in that study, meaning between household and community ambulators. This could indicate the 100 m distance as a beneficial out- come to further correlate measures against when develop- ing criteria for determining of prosthetic candidacy. One of the studies by Chin et al. [ 4 ] included in this review studied a sample of young adult subjects with limb loss and compared them to a control group of similarly-aged able-bodied controls. VO 2 was found to be slightly lower in the subjects with limb loss and %VO 2max was calculated from the results of the control group post hoc for consistent comparison among in- cluded studies. Control subjects had higher absolute VO 2 and sustained a higher maximum workload. This outcome trend was similar to other controlled trials re- garding individuals with limb loss [ 24 , 25 ] . After testing, subjects with LEA completed a 6-week cardiovascular training program with the SLE machine and were able to restore VO 2 measurements and workload values to Fig. 3 Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for considered use of exercise testing in persons with limb loss Klenow et al. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation 2018, 15 (Suppl 1):64 Page 17 of 72